9 Stocks to Buy for a European Recovery

These large-cap companies are highly rated by analysts.

Company profile: HSBC, with a market value of $102 billion, is among the largest banks in the world, with around 7,000 offices in 85 countries. Based in London, about 46% of its assets are in Europe.

Dividend Yield: 4.62%

Investor takeaway: Its shares are up 23% this year but have a three-year, average annual loss of 2%. Analysts give its shares four "buy" ratings, two "outperforms," and four "holds," according to a survey of analysts by Morningstar.

Company profile: Imperial Tobacco, with a market value of $23 billion, is the world's fourth-biggest publicly traded international tobacco company with total annual volume of more than 300 billion cigarettes sold in more than 160 countries.

Dividend Yield: 4.35%

Investor takeaway: Its shares are up 0.6% this year and have a three-year, average annual return of 11%. Analysts give its shares five "buy" ratings, one "outperform," one "hold," and one "sell," according to a survey of analysts by Morningstar.

Company profile: Royal Dutch Shell, with a market value of $228 billion, is one of the top energy companies in the world, with exploration, production and refining operations.

Dividend Yield: 4.38%

Investor takeaway: Its shares are up 1.3% this year and have a three-year, average annual return of 12%. Analysts give its shares five "buy" ratings, two "buy/holds," one "hold," and one "sell," according to a survey of analysts by Morningstar.

Company profile: Novartis, with a market value of $135 billion, is a global health-care company based in Basel, Switzerland. It is a maker of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and diagnostics, generics, and consumer- and animal-health products..

Dividend Yield: 3.15%

Investor takeaway: Its shares are up 6.5% this year and have a three-year, average annual return of 11%. Analysts give its shares six "buy" ratings, one "buy/hold," and one "moderate sell," according to a survey of analysts by TheStreet.

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